Floating sub-flooring system

ABSTRACT

A floating sub-floor system includes panel assemblies in which each panel assembly includes a surface panel and a base panel. A bottom side of the base panel includes a vent channel system which provides passageways for moisture to evaporate and/or flow under the sub-floor. The surface panel and the base panel are coupled together so that complementary ship lap and overlap joints are formed along the sides of each panel assembly. Methods of fabrication and installation are disclosed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of:

U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/839,010, Attorney'sDocket No. 4440.2.1p, entitled FLOATING SUB-FLOORING SYSTEM, which wasfiled on Jun. 25, 2013.

The foregoing is incorporated by reference as though set forth herein inits entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to sub-flooring apparatus, systems, andmethods of fabrication and use. More specifically, the presentdisclosure relates to a sub-flooring system that can be installeddirectly over concrete, wood, or other substrates used in the buildingconstruction industry for newly constructed or renovated facilities. Thepresent embodiments may be installed as a floating floor system that canmeet the rigorous requirements of heavy commercial applications for foottraffic and sound abatement, as well as providing the warmth, comfortand dryness aspects for use in residential applications.

BACKGROUND

This present embodiments relate to the use of sub-floor systemsinstalled over substrates in today's building construction industry.Whether the building is a single family home, multi-residential highrise, office building, commercial enterprise, hotel, restaurant orinstitutional facility, issues of moisture, mold and mildew, soundtransmission, and fire resistance are all of concern. In manycircumstances, developers and architects are being forced to addressand/or mitigate these issue in their building designs.

A substrate is the underlying support surface upon which a sub-floor isinstalled. In building construction, the substrate is commonly pouredconcrete or wood based materials adhered to a wood frame structure.Concrete substrates are often not smooth enough to provide a goodsurface upon which to install finished flooring, and generally cannotmeet moisture, sound or mold mitigation requirements set by thearchitects, designers, or building codes. Also, many wood substrates maynot be thick enough, smooth enough, or strong enough to support thefinished floor and cannot meet moisture, sound or mold mitigationrequirements.

A sub-floor is the underlying surface upon which a finished floor isinstalled. There are many different types of sub-floors used in theconstruction industry today; the specific type of sub-floor used maydepend on the type of building construction, the geographical location,the finished flooring surface(s) to be installed, and the building coderequirements.

In many applications, installing the sub-floor can be a difficult, laborintensive and costly operation. Most sub-floor manufacturers recommendtheir products be adhered to the substrate. In commercial applications,manufacturers may not warrant the floor system if the sub-floor has notbeen adhered to the substrate. Current sub-floors may be adhered to thesubstrate with bolts, or embedded in a layer of mortar, or glued down toensure the sub-floor has conformed to the rough surface substrate.

Adhering a sub-floor to the underlying substrate may create a number ofshort and long term failure points in the life cycle of the finishedfloor installed over the sub-floor. For example, using anchoring boltsto adhere the sub-floor to a concrete substrate creates an ingress pointfor moisture to flow up through the substrate to the sub-floor. Adheringthe sub-floor to a wood substrate with mortar introduces moisture to thewood and over time may cause the wood to distort. Adhering the subfloorto a wood or concrete substrate with adhesives or mortars dramaticallyincreases the cost of floor removal and replacement installation inrenovation or insurance claim projects. Removing glues or mortars fromthe substrate requires special equipment to chip or grind away thematerial, as well using solvents to clean the material from the roughsurface substrate. Removal of the sub-floor in many cases causessignificant damage to the substrate, which then has to be repaired orreplaced. Finished floor failure is a significant problem within thebuilding construction industry. These failures range from tile and/orgrout failures to floors heaving, to buckling of carpets or laminatedwoods. All of these failures, over time, may create safety issues ortrip hazards.

Floor system failures can also create health issues in the building as adirect result of moisture being trapped between the substrate and thesub-floor or between the sub-floor and the finished floor. Thesefailures may actually create an environment for moisture to sponge upthe interior walls of the building and allow mold to grow. Exposure tomold can cause cold-like symptoms, respiratory problems, nasal and sinuscongestion, watery eyes, sore throat, coughing and skin irritations, andcan trigger asthma attacks. Because some mold spores are very small andcan easily be breathed deeply into the lungs, it may not be safe to liveor work where there are high mold spore levels. Exposure to high moldspore levels can cause development of an allergy to mold. People canreact to mold whether it is living or dead.

Rarely are the requirements of a sub-floor met with just one product. Inmany instances, specifications require the installation of multiplelayers of different materials to meet the ever increasing demands ofhome owners, tenants, building codes, as well as developers, architectsand designers. Typical sub-floor requirements include the following:

-   1. Moisture Barrier Used to prevent moisture being absorbed into    finished floors, particularly wood products and carpets.-   2. Anti-Microbial Protection Protection from growth of harmful mold,    mildew, and other bacteria as a result of moisture issues.-   3. Insulation Provide warmth to the finished surface.-   4. Acoustical Prevent sound transmission between floors.-   5. Anti-Fracture Protects against cracks in the structural floor    from transferring to the finished floor's surface.-   6. Ergonomics Provides a comfortable surface to walk upon, reducing    fatigue, foot pain, and even back pain.-   7. De-Coupling Easily removable for future renovation or remodelling    plans.-   8. Thickness Material must be low profile such that the overall    thickness of the completed sub-floor and finished floor does not    create issues with wall trims, door heights, appliances, and the    like.-   9. Environmental Provide green/environmentally friendly products.

It would be an advancement in the art to provide flooring that satisfiesthe requirements listed above. Further, it would be an advancement inthe art to provide such flooring that is usable in various applications,such as in residential, commercial, and/or industrial settings. Further,it would be an advancement in the art to provide such flooring that isinexpensive and easy to produce. Yet further, it would be an advancementin the art to provide such flooring that is low-maintenance andrelatively easy to reconfigure or replace.

SUMMARY

The present technology has been designed as a floating sub-floor systemthat is not adhered to the substrate and can be easily removed forrenovation or replacement projects. When the sub-floor system isinstalled as described below, it creates a monolithic surface that isdimensionally stable and is decoupled from the substrate so that anychanges or failures in the substrate will not transfer onto the finishedfloor material. The technology disclosed herein addresses all of theabove sub-floor requirements in a single, low-profile, easy-to-installfloating sub-floor system. The technology disclosed herein also providesinsect resistance, combustion resistance, and low- to no-VOCs (volatileorganic compounds).

Various embodiments of the technology include a sub-floor surfacematerial that is impervious to mold, mildew, moisture, and insects buthas sufficient porosity to allow adhesives, tile mortars and otherfastening devices to bond with the surface material regardless of thefinished flooring being installed over the surface material. Additionalrequirements of the technology may include insulating value, ergonomiccomfort, fire resistance and dimensional stability properties that meetboth residential and heavy commercial buildings sub-floor applicationsand codes.

A sub-floor base material may be added to the surface material. The basematerial may be impervious to mold, mildew, moisture, and insects yethave sufficient flexibility to conform to minor variations in thesubstrate it covers. The base material may have air flow channels,otherwise referred to as a duct system, on the underside of the basematerial that allows for any moisture that ingresses through thesubstrate or has accumulated on the surface of the substrate toevaporate or flow to a drainage system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the technology will become more fully apparentfrom the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depictonly exemplary embodiments and are, therefore, not to be consideredlimiting of the scope of the technology, the exemplary embodiments willbe described with additional specificity and detail through use of theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1A is an isometric top view of a surface panel of a sub-floorsystem.

FIG. 1B is a top view of the surface panel of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 1C is an end view of the surface panel of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2A is an isometric top view of a base panel of a sub-floor system.

FIG. 2B is an isometric bottom view of the base panel of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 2C is a bottom view of the base panel of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 2D is an end view of the base panel of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3A is a bottom view of the base panel of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3B is a detail view of a portion of the bottom of the base panel ofFIG. 3A, taken at detail circle 3B of FIG. 3A.

FIG. 3C is a partial cross-sectional view of the base panel of FIG. 3A,taken along section line 3C-3C of FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4A is an exploded isometric top view of a panel assembly of asub-floor system.

FIG. 4B is an isometric top view of the panel assembly of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 4C is an isometric bottom view of the panel assembly of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 4D is a detail view of a portion of the top of the panel assemblyof FIG. 4B, taken at detail circle 4D of FIG. 4B.

FIG. 4E is a detail view of a portion of the bottom of the panelassembly of FIG. 4C, taken at detail circle 4E of FIG. 4C.

FIG. 4F is a bottom view of the panel assembly of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 4G is a side view of the panel assembly of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 4H is a top view of the panel assembly of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5A is an exploded isometric top view of two of the panel assembliesof FIG. 4A in an end-to-end orientation.

FIG. 5B is a detail view of adjacent ends of the panel assemblies ofFIG. 5A.

FIG. 5C is an isometric view of the panel assembly of FIG. 4A installedin an interior corner bounded by two wall portions and a substrateportion.

FIG. 5D is an isometric view of the panel assembly, wall portions, andsubstrate portion of FIG. 5C with additional panel assemblies in aninstallation pattern.

FIG. 6A is a bottom view of a portion of the base panel of FIG. 2A,illustrating a first vent channel configuration.

FIG. 6B is a bottom view of a portion of another base panel illustratinga second vent channel configuration.

FIG. 6C is a bottom view of a portion of yet another base panelillustrating a third vent channel configuration.

FIG. 6D is a bottom view of a portion of yet another base panelillustrating a fourth vent channel configuration.

FIG. 7A is a top view of a fixture for assembling the panel assembly ofFIG. 4A.

FIG. 7B is a partial side view of the fixture of FIG. 7A taken alongview line 7B-7B of FIG. 7A.

FIG. 8 is a top view of the surface panel of FIG. 1A and the base panelof FIG. 2A positioned in the fixture of FIG. 7A.

FIG. 9 is a top view of the base panel and fixture of FIG. 8, indicatingan adhesive application area on the top of the base panel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Exemplary embodiments of the technology will be best understood byreference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by likenumerals throughout. It will be readily understood that the componentsof the technology, as generally described and illustrated in the figuresherein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of differentconfigurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of theembodiments of the apparatus, system, and method, as represented inFIGS. 1A through 9, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention,as claimed, but is merely representative exemplary of exemplaryembodiments of the technology.

The phrases “connected to,” “coupled to” and “in communication with”refer to any form of interaction between two or more entities, includingmechanical, electrical, magnetic, electromagnetic, fluid, and thermalinteraction. Two components may be functionally coupled to each othereven though they are not in direct contact with each other. The term“abutting” refers to items that are in direct physical contact with eachother, although the items may not necessarily be attached together. Thephrase “fluid communication” refers to two features that are connectedsuch that a fluid within one feature is able to pass into the otherfeature.

The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example,instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as“exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred oradvantageous over other embodiments. While the various aspects of theembodiments are presented in drawings, the drawings are not necessarilydrawn to scale unless specifically indicated.

The word “floating” is used herein to mean a floor or a sub-floor thatis not coupled to an underlying layer, such as a substrate, for exampleby nailing or gluing the floor or sub-floor to the underlying layer. A“floating” floor or sub-floor may include individual elements that arecoupled to each other, and may be said to “float” on the underlyinglayer.

The present embodiments have been specified to create a two layeredfloating sub-floor system that is a thermal barrier, vapour barrier,moisture barrier, sound barrier, and an overall sub-floor system that isdecoupled from the underlying substrate preventing failures or changesin the substrate from transferring to the finished floor installed onthe subfloor.

Furthermore, the present embodiments have been designed such that anyfinished flooring surface can be installed directly on the subfloorwithout additional layers of materials having to be used to meet thespecifications or building code requirements.

One of the features of the present embodiments is that these embodimentsmay meet the specifications or building code requirements for use overconcrete, wood based, or other types of substrates in commercialbuildings, institutional facilities, hotels, restaurants, high ormid-rise multi-residential buildings, or single family homes.

Referring to FIGS. 1A-1C, a sub-floor surface panel 10 is shown. Thesurface panel 10 may be made of wood, plastic, rubber, magnesium oxide,magnesium phosphate or any other material or combination of materialsthat is waterproof, mold, mildew and fire resistant, and has sufficientporosity to allow adhesives, tile mortars and other fastening devices tobond with the surface panel material regardless of the finished flooringbeing installed over the surface panel. The example surface panel 10 hasa rectangular shape with a top side 11, a length 12, a bottom side 13, awidth 14, a height or thickness 16, and four edges 140, 141, 142, 143.The length 12 may be greater than or equal to the width 14. The width 14may be greater than the height or thickness 16. The length 12, width 14,and/or thickness 16 may be any value. In one example, the length 12 is47.19 in., the width 14 is 15.75 in., and the thickness is 0.25 in. Amanufacturing tolerance may be assigned to the length 12, width 14,and/or thickness 16. The tolerances may all be the same or different,and may be any value. In one example, the length 12 and width 14 may beassigned a tolerance of ±0.13 in., and the thickness 16 may be assigneda tolerance of ±0.01 in. The surface panel 10 may be another shape. Forexample, the surface panel 10 may be triangular, hexagonal, polygonal,or curvaceous. Preferably, the surface panel 10 is a shape which can beused to cover a planar surface with no gaps or overlaps, in a tilingpattern or tessellation. Surface panels of more than one shape may beused together in a tiling pattern or tessellation.

Referring to FIG. 2, a sub-floor base panel 20 is shown. The base panel20 may be a molded, extruded or machined component. The preferredmaterial for the base panel 20 may be new or recycled high densitypolyethylene plastic or virgin or recycled rubber or a combination ofhigh density polyethylene plastic and rubber (provided such material iswaterproof, mold, mildew, etc. resistant). The base panel 20 has asmooth top side 21 such that it can be adhered to the bottom side 13 ofthe surface panel 10 of FIGS. 1A-1C. The example base panel 20 has arectangular shape with a length 22, a width 24, a height or thickness26, and four edges 240, 241, 242, 243. The length 22 may be greater thanor equal to the width 24. The width 24 may be greater than the height orthickness 26. The length 22, width 24, and/or thickness 26 may be anyvalue. In one example, the length 22 is 47.25 in., the width 24 is 15.75in., and the thickness is 0.25 in. A manufacturing tolerance may beassigned to the length 22, width 24, and/or thickness 26. The tolerancesmay all be the same or different, and may be any value. In one example,the length 22 and width 24 may be assigned a tolerance of ±0.13 in., andthe thickness 26 may be assigned a tolerance of ±0.01 in. The base panel20 may be another shape. For example, the base panel 20 may betriangular, hexagonal, polygonal, or curvaceous. Preferably, the basepanel 20 is a shape which can be used to cover a planar surface with nogaps or overlaps, in a tiling pattern or tessellation. Preferably, thebase panel 20 is the same shape as the surface panel 10. Base panels ofmore than one shape may be used together in a tiling pattern ortessellation. The base panel has a vent channel system 200 on its bottomside 23.

Referring to FIGS. 3A-3C, the vent channel system 200 is illustrated inmore detail. The specific design of the vent channel system 200 mayallow for sufficient air to flow through the vent channel system 200allowing moisture that may ingress from the substrate to evaporate, orallowing accumulating moisture to flow to a drainage system (not shown)installed in the substrate (e.g., cement or wood substrate). FIGS. 3A-3Cillustrate one example of a vent channel system; FIGS. 6A-6D illustrateother examples of vent channel systems. Any of the vent channel systemsdisclosed herein may be used interchangeably.

The vent channel system 200 includes an arrangement of support pads 202separated by vent channels 204. FIGS. 3A-3B show an example with arectangular arrangement of square support pads 202 separated by straightvent channels 204. The support pads 202 are shown with rounded corners.The support pads 202 may be rectangular, round, polygonal, curvaceous,or any other shape. The area between one support pad 202 and an adjacentsupport pad 202 on the bottom side 23 of the base panel 20 is referredto as a vent channel 204. The vent channels 204 are straight, so thatstraight line travel along any vent channel is unobstructed by, forexample, a support pad or any other structure. In other words, there isat least one straight line path along each vent channel 204. Each ventchannel 204 has a depth 206 and a width 208. The depth 206 of a ventchannel 204 may be less than the full thickness 26 of the base panel 20.The area between the top side 21 of the base panel 20 and the depth 206of the vent channel 204 that has been molded, extruded or machined outis referred as the web thickness 210. The vent channel depth 206, ventchannel width 208, and web thickness 210 may be any value. The webthickness 210 as illustrated in FIG. 3C may be of sufficient strength tomeet the requirements of the ASTM C627 “Standard Test Method forEvaluating Ceramic Floor Tile Installation Systems” specifically forHeavy Commercial Applications such as shopping malls and auto showrooms.In one example, the thickness 26 of the base panel 20 may be 0.25 in.,the vent channel depth 206 may be 0.125 in., the vent channel width 208may be 0.75 in, and the web thickness 210 may be 0.125 in. The supportpads 202 may have sufficient size, area, thickness and durometerhardness such that the amount of material coming into contact with thesurface of the substrate has sufficient compression strength to supportheavy commercial footfall traffic or support the use of light industrialmachinery such as lift trucks or pump jacks.

In some embodiments, care should be taken to ensure that the overallsize, thickness and design pattern of the support pads and the ventchannel system is correct to optimize ventilation, strength, andstiffness of the sub-floor system.

FIGS. 6A-6D illustrate various design styles of vent channel systems400, 500, 600, 700 that may be incorporated into the base panel 20 ofFIGS. 2A-2D. The vent channel systems disclosed herein may be usedinterchangeably.

FIG. 6A shows a vent channel system 400 with a rectangular arrangementof square support pads 402 separated by straight vent channels 404. Thesupport pads 402 have a length 412 and a width 414. The support pads 402also have a vertical repeat dimension 416 and a horizontal repeatdimension 418. The vertical repeat dimension 416 is the sum of thelength 412 and the vertical vent channel width 408. The horizontalrepeat dimension 418 is the sum of the width 414 and the horizontal ventchannel width 408. In one example, the length 412 and width 414 may be2.25 in., and the vertical repeat dimension 416 and the horizontalrepeat dimension 418 may be 3 in. In this arrangement, the combined areaof the 16 support pads shown in FIG. 6A is 81 square inches per squarefoot. In other words, the combined area of the support pads is 56% ofthe total area of the bottom side of the base panel. The vent channels404 have a width 408, and a depth like the depth 206 shown in FIG. 3C.The vent channels 404 are straight, so that straight line travel alongany vent channel is unobstructed by, for example, a support pad or anyother structure. In other words, there is at least one straight linepath along each vent channel 404.

FIG. 6B shows a vent channel system 500 with an arrangement ofrectangular support pads 502 separated by vent channels 504. In thisexample, the support pads 502 alternate between a vertical orientationand a horizontal orientation to form a herringbone pattern. The supportpads 502 have a length 512 and a width 514. This arrangement providesvent channels 504 which are tortuous, convoluted, labyrinthine,serpentine, and/or meandering, in contrast to the straight uninterruptedvent channels 204, 404. Thus, straight line travel along any ventchannel 504 is blocked by at least one support pad. Every path alongeach vent channel 504 includes at least one bend or turn. Each ventchannel 504 encounters at least one three-way intersection 530, orT-intersection, with other vent channels in the pattern. The ventchannels 504 have a width 508, and a depth like the depth 206 shown inFIG. 3C. The vent channel system 500 also has a vertical channel length516 and a horizontal channel length 518. The vertical channel length 516is the vertical length of straight line vent channel 504 between supportpads 502. The horizontal channel length 518 is the horizontal length ofstraight line vent channel 504 between support pads 502. The verticaland horizontal channel lengths 516, 518 may be described as the maximumdistance increment along a vent channel 504 before a bend or turn. Inone example, the length 512 may be 2 in., the width 514 may be 0.75 in.,the vent channel width 508 may be 0.5 in. (vertical and horizontal), andthe vertical and horizontal channel lengths 516, 518 may be 4.25 in. Inthis arrangement, the combined area of the support pads 502 is 73 squareinches per square foot. In other words, the combined area of the supportpads is 51% of the total area of the bottom side of the base panel.

FIG. 6C shows a vent channel system 600 with an arrangement of V- orL-shaped support pads 602 separated by vent channels 604. This patternmay also be described as a herringbone pattern, or a chevron pattern.The support pads 602 have an overall length 612 and an overall width614. This arrangement provides vent channels 604 which are tortuous,convoluted, labyrinthine, serpentine, and/or meandering, in contrast tothe straight uninterrupted vent channels 204, 404. Thus, straight linetravel along any vent channel 604 is blocked by at least one supportpad. Every path along each vent channel 604 includes at least one bendor turn. Each vent channel 604 encounters at least one three-wayintersection 630, or T-intersection, with other vent channels in thepattern. The vent channels 604 have a width 608, and a depth like thedepth 206 shown in FIG. 3C. The vent channel system 600 also has avertical channel length 616, a horizontal channel length 618, a minorlength 620, and a minor width 622. The vertical channel length 616 isthe vertical length of straight line vent channel 604 between supportpads 602. The horizontal channel length 618 is the horizontal length ofstraight line vent channel 604 between support pads 602. The verticaland horizontal channel lengths 616, 618 may be described as the maximumdistance increment along a vent channel 604 before a bend or turn. Theminor length 620 is taken in the same direction as the overall length612, and refers to a first side of the V- or L-shape. The minor width622 is taken in the same direction as the overall width 614, and refersto a second side of the V- or L-shape. In one example, the overalllength 612 and overall width 614 may be 2.35 in., the vent channel width608 may be 0.63 in. (vertical and horizontal), the vertical andhorizontal channel lengths 616, 618 may be 3.63 in., and the minorlength and width 620, 622 may be 0.88 in. In this arrangement, thecombined area of the support pads 602 is 73 square inches per squarefoot. In other words, the combined area of the support pads is 51% ofthe total area of the bottom side of the base panel.

FIG. 6D shows a vent channel system 700 with an arrangement of V- orL-shaped support pads 702 separated by vent channels 704. This patternmay also be described as a herringbone pattern, or a chevron pattern.Vent channel system 700 has vent channel width 708, overall length 712,overall width 714, vertical channel length 716, horizontal channellength 718, minor length 720, and minor width 722. This arrangementprovides vent channels 704 which are tortuous, convoluted, labyrinthine,serpentine, and/or meandering, in contrast to the straight uninterruptedvent channels 204, 404. Thus, straight line travel along any ventchannel 704 is blocked by at least one support pad. Every path alongeach vent channel 704 includes at least one bend or turn. Each ventchannel 704 encounters at least one three-way intersection 730, orT-intersection, with other vent channels in the pattern. Vent channelsystem 700 is visually similar to vent channel system 600, but thesupport pads 702 have a larger area per square foot than the supportpads 602, the vent channels 704 are narrower than the vent channels 604,and the vertical and horizontal channel lengths 716, 718 are shorterthan the vertical and horizontal channel lengths 616, 618. In oneexample, the overall length 712 and overall width 714 may be 2.5 in.,the vent channel width 708 may be 0.5 in. (vertical and horizontal), thevertical and horizontal channel lengths 716, 718 may be 3.5 in., and theminor length and width 720, 722 may be 1 in. In this arrangement, thecombined area of the support pads 702 is 86 square inches per squarefoot. In other words, the combined area of the support pads is 60% ofthe total area of the bottom side of the base panel.

Any of the vent channel systems 200, 400, 500, 600, 700 may be varied byrounding corners of the support pads and/or vent channels (both in theplane shown and perpendicular to the page), using other polygonal,curved, or irregular shapes for the support pads, using multiple supportpad shapes in a pattern, altering dimensions of the support pads and/orvent channels, rotating or mirroring the patterns, and the like. Thesevariations may change the ratio of the combined area of the support padsto the total area to be less than 50%, between 50% and 60%, or greaterthan 60% of the total area of the bottom side of the base panel. Forexample, variations are contemplated in which the combined area of thesupport pads is 60% to 70% of the total area of the bottom side of thebase panel. These variations may also change the vertical and/orhorizontal vent channel length(s). For example, the embodiment of FIG.6A may be modified by positioning the support pads 402 in a brickpattern instead of the grid pattern shown, or the embodiment of FIG. 6Cmay be modified by rotating every other support pad 180 degrees. Ventchannel systems with relatively shorter vertical and/or horizontal ventchannel lengths may improve sub-floor performance in high demandcommercial applications. The vent channel systems disclosed herein mayalso be altered by providing a texture, coating, and/or surface finishto enhance moisture wicking and/or capillary action through the ventchannel system.

Referring to FIG. 4, a sub-floor panel assembly 30 is shown. Panelassembly 30 includes surface panel 10 and base panel 20. The bottom side13 of surface panel 10 faces the top side 21 of the base panel 20 withthe lengths 12, 22 and widths 14, 24 aligned. The surface panel 10 andthe base panel 20 may be adhered together with adhesives; melt bond,sonic or thermal welding, or otherwise coupled or fastened together suchthat the two panels remain permanently attached to each other throughthe assembly, packaging, storing, transporting and final installationprocesses. In one example, the surface panel 10 and base panel 20 may beassembled together using a pressure sensitive hot melt adhesive that hasa cure time of less than 10 minutes. The process of adhering or couplingthe two panels together preferably does not create any raised pattern orlumps anywhere on the panel assembly 30.

The widths 14, 24 of the surface panel 10 and base panel 20 areassembled together in an offset manner such that the top side 21 of thebase panel 20 overhangs, or protrudes out from, the surface panel 10along the full length 12 of the surface panel 10 along the edge 142.This type of offset is referred to as a ship lap joint 27 as shown inFIGS. 4B and 4D. Preferably, a minimum of 0.75 in. of the top side 21 ofthe base panel 20 overhangs, or protrudes past, the surface panel 10 toform the ship lap joint 27, although any amount of protrusion iscontemplated. Conversely, when the base panel 20 is offset from thesurface panel 10 as described above, this will result in the bottom side13 of the surface panel 10 overhanging, or protruding past, the basepanel 20 along the full length 12 of the surface panel 10 along the edge140 opposite to the ship lap joint 27. This type of offset is referredto as an overlap joint 17 as shown in FIGS. 4C and 4E. Preferably, aminimum of 0.75 in. of the bottom side 13 of the surface panel 10overhangs, or protrudes past, the base panel 20 to form the overlapjoint 17, although any amount of protrusion is contemplated.

The lengths 12, 22 of the surface panel 10 and base panel 20 are alsoassembled together in an offset manner such that a ship lap joint 29 iscreated across the width 14 along the edge 141 of the surface panel 10as shown in FIGS. 4B and 4D, and conversely an overlap joint 19 iscreated across the width 14 along the edge 143 at the opposite end ofthe surface panel 10 as shown in FIGS. 4C and 4E. Preferably, the shiplap joint 29 and the overlap joint 19 include a minimum of 0.75 in. ofprotrusion, although any amount of protrusion is contemplated. When a47.19 in. long by 15.75 in. wide by 0.25 in. thick surface panel 10 anda 47.25 in. long by 15.75 in. wide by 0.25 in. thick base panel 20 areoffset from each other as described above, with 0.75 in. of protrusionin each joint 17, 19, 27, 29, the finished sub-floor panel assembly 30will have a finished dimension of 48 in. in length 32, 16.5 in. in width34, and 0.5 in. in thickness 36.

A method of assembling the sub-floor panel assembly 30 may include thesteps of coupling the surface panel 10 to the base panel 20 so that thebottom side 13 of the surface panel 10 faces the top side 21 of the basepanel 20, the length 12 of the surface panel 10 is parallel to thelength 22 of the base panel 20, and the width 14 of the surface panel 10is parallel to the width 24 of the base panel 20. Coupling the surfacepanel 10 to the base panel 20 may include adhering the bottom side 13 ofthe surface panel 10 to the top side 21 of the base panel 20. Adheringthe bottom side 13 to the top side 21 may include applying an adhesiveto one or both of the bottom side 13 and the top side 21. The surfacepanel 10 may be offset relative to the base panel 20 along their mutuallength, width, or both, to form ship lap and/or overlap joints.

Referring to FIG. 7, the sub-floor panel assembly 30 may be assembledusing a fixture 80. The fixture 80 may be constructed of wood, plastic,metal, or a combination of materials. Preferably, the material(s) usedto construct the fixture 80 may be easily cleaned of any adhesive overspray onto the fixture 80 during an assembly operation or step. Thefixture 80 may include clearance 81 relative to the nominal finishedpanel assembly 30 length 32 and width 34 to allow for dimensionalvariation due to manufacturing tolerances, as seen best in FIG. 9. Forexample, the fixture 80 may be 0.125 in. larger than the nominal length32 and width 34. The clearance 81 may be equal to the portion of themanufacturing tolerance range above nominal. Any oversized surface panel10, base panel 20, or panel assembly 30 (in length or width dimension)may be trimmed and used.

The fixture 80 includes a base panel length stop 82, a base panel widthstop 84, a surface panel length stop 86, and a surface panel width stop88. The example shown in FIG. 7 includes a base panel length stop 82which is a rectangular block, three base panel width stops 84 which arerectangular blocks, and a combination surface panel length stop 86 andsurface panel width stop 88 formed together as an L-shaped plate orboard 89. The length stops 82, 86 and width stops 84, 88 serve as datumsagainst which the corresponding panel 10, 20 is urged to establish theoffset relationships mentioned earlier. The fixture 80 may also includea base panel length limit 90, a base panel width limit 92, and/or afoundation plate or board 94. The example shown in FIG. 7 includes acombination base panel length limit 90 and base panel width limit 92formed together as a C-shaped plate or board 96 which also carries thebase panel length stop 82. The base panel length and width limits 90, 92serve to indicate base panels 20 which exceed the corresponding uppertolerance limit for length 22 and/or width 24, thereby preventing thefabrication of panel assemblies 30 with undersize joints 17, 19, 27, 29.A first fixture length 104 exists between the base panel length stop 82and the base panel length limit 90. A second fixture length 106 existsbetween the surface panel length stop 86 and the end of the L-shapedplate or board 89. A third fixture length 108 exists between the basepanel length stop 82 and the surface panel length stop 86. A firstfixture width 110 exists between the base panel width stop 84 and thebase panel width limit 92. In one example, the first fixture length 104may be 47.375 in., the second fixture length 106 may be 47.25 in., thethird fixture length 108 may be 48.125 in., and the first fixture width110 may be 16.625 in.

The base panel length stop 82 and base panel width stop 84 may be anyheight; preferably, the base panel length stop 82 and base panel widthstop 84 are between 0.1 in. and 1 in. in height. The base panel lengthlimit 90 and base panel width limit 92 may be any height less than orequal to 0.25 in; preferably, the base panel length limit 90 and basepanel width limit 92 are between 0.1 in. and 0.25 in. in height. In theexample of FIG. 7, the heights of the base panel length limit 90 andbase panel width limit 92 may be determined by the thickness 98 of theC-shaped plate or board 96, which may be 0.25 in. thick. The surfacepanel length stop 86 and surface panel width stop 88 may be any heightgreater than or equal to 0.25 in.; preferably, the surface panel lengthstop 86 and surface panel width stop 88 are between 0.3 in. and 1 in. inheight. In the example of FIG. 7, the heights of the surface panellength stop 86 and surface panel width stop 88 may be determined by thethickness 100 of the L-shaped plate or board 89, which may be 0.25 in.thick. The heights mentioned in this paragraph are measured from areference surface, such as a tabletop, countertop, or granite block, ifthe fixture 80 lacks a foundation plate or board 94; otherwise, theheights mentioned in this paragraph are measured from a top side 102 ofthe foundation plate or board 94.

Referring to FIGS. 7-9, a method of assembling panel assemblies 30 willbe described. The base panel 20 is placed with the bottom side 23 facingdown in the fixture 80. The base panel 20 is shifted or urged along afirst direction 112 against the base panel length stop 82 and along asecond direction 114 against the base panel width stops 84 as shown inFIG. 8. The base panel 20 may be shifted or urged as described to ensureany oversized base panel 20 used will not reduce the overlap joint 17,19 dimension as shown in FIG. 4E. Reducing the overlap joint 17, 19dimension may cause panel seams not to fit evenly together wheninstalled on the substrate. Using a hot melt spray applicator, spray thetop side 21 of the base panel 20 with a spray setting that ensures theamount of glue sprayed on the top side 21 does not exceed 1 millimeterin thickness. The top side 21 of the base panel 20 is sprayed in apattern such that the area of the top side 21 of the base panel 20 thatwill form the ship lap joints 27, 29, does not receive any glue, asillustrated in FIG. 9, which shows an adhesive application area 116 onthe top side 21 of the base panel 20.

The surface panel 10 is then placed over the base panel 20 shifted orurged opposite to the first direction 112 against the surface panellength stop 86, and opposite to the second direction 114 against thesurface panel width stop 88 ensuring the panel is squarely against theedges of the fixture. Hand pressure is used to temporarily adhere thetwo panels 10, 20 so the panel assembly 30 can be moved to a pressureroll machine. The assembled sub-floor panel assembly 30 is run through apressure roller which has sufficient pressure to activate the adhesiveas recommended by the adhesive manufacturer so as to permanently bondthe two panels 10, 20 together.

FIGS. 5A-5D illustrate one example of a method for adhering sub-floorpanel assemblies 30 to a substrate 120, and a pattern of installationthat may be used for each finished sub-floor panel assembly 30 installedover the substrate 120. Each finished sub-floor panel assembly 30 isinstalled with the support pads 202 of the bottom side 23 of the basepanel 20 facing the substrate they are going down onto. Finished panels30 should be installed in a brick pattern as shown in FIG. 5D. Thesub-floor should only be installed over concrete substrates that havehad sufficient time to fully cure as recommended by the concretemanufacture, over wood substrates that have been properly installed andfastened to the floor joist system as required by the local buildingcode, or over other properly-installed substrates.

Referring to FIGS. 5A-5B, two sub-floor panel assemblies 30 are shown inan end-to-end relationship. Referring to FIGS. 5C-5D, the substrate 120forms an interior corner 122 with a first wall portion 124 and a secondwall portion 126. Part of a stud 128 is visible. A method for installinga sub-floor may include the following steps:

-   a) The surface of the substrate 120 should be clean of any debris or    accumulated dust.-   b) The substrate 120 should be level. Where there is any apparent    unevenness in the substrate of more than 0.25 in., a floor levelling    compound (not shown) may be used to fill in these areas. Allow    sufficient time for the compound to cure.-   c) Run chalk lines. Measure 16.75 in. out from the opposite end of    the existing wall where the first row of the sub-floor system will    be installed length wise and snap a chalk line. Measure 16.75 in.    out from one end of the existing wall where the first row of the    sub-floor system will be installed width wise. Measure 16.75 in. out    from the opposite end of the wall where the sub-floor system will be    installed width wise and snap a chalk line.-   d) Starting where the first row of the sub-floor system will be    installed length wise, place the first full length panel 30    lengthwise with the ship lap joint 27 along the chalk line as shown    in FIG. 5A.-   e) Place a 0.1875 in. diameter bead of urethane based adhesive 130    across the end (width) of the first panels' ship lap joint 29 as    shown in FIG. 5B, place the second finished sub-floor panels'    overlap joint 19 (width) over the adhesive 130 on the end of the    first panel 30 as shown in FIG. 5B and press down firmly ensuring    that the seams of the surface panels are butted against each other    and that the length of the second panels' ship lap joint 27 is    squarely along the chalk line. Note: Any gaps between the end seams    of the sub-floor panels 30 is usually caused by the existing walls    122, 124 being out of square or where the ship lap joint 27 of the    sub-floor panel 30 has not been place squarely along the chalk line.    If the ship lap joint 27 of the sub-floor panel 30 has been placed    squarely along the chalk line and a gap between the seams is still    present, then these gaps can be filled in with a standard bonding    material.-   f) Repeat step e) until all the finished sub-floor panels 30 are    installed in the first row. Cut the last panel 30 in the first row    approximately ¼″ short of the end wall (not shown) for ease of    fitting in the remaining space.-   g) To achieve the recommended brick pattern, FIG. 5D, start the    second row of finished sub-floor panels 30 with a panel cut to a    length between 12″ and less than a full size panel. In most cases    the last panel 30 from the previous row will be the starting panel    for the next row provided it is a minimum of 12″ in length.-   h) Starting with the second row of sub-floor system panels to be    installed, place a 0.1875 in. bead of adhesive 132 along the ship    lap joint 27 of the first panel 30 in the first row of sub-floor    system panels installed and place the overlap joint 17 of the cut    panel of the second row over the adhesive 132 and place the overlap    joint width 19 of the cut panel along the second chalk line measured    in step c.-   i) Run a 0.1875 in. diameter bead of adhesive 134 along the exposed    ship lap joint 27 lengths of each of the first row of panels    installed. Run a 0.1875 in. bead of adhesive along the width of the    cut panel in the second row, place the corresponding overlap joints    19 of the next full size panel over the adhesive and press down    firmly.-   j) Repeat step i) until all sub-floor system panels 30 are installed    in the second row. It may be necessary to cut the last sub-floor    system panel 30 in the second row to fit the remaining space. Cut    the last panel in the second row approximately ¼″ short of the end    wall for ease of fitting in the remaining space. The remaining piece    of sub-floor system panel can be used in subsequent rows provided it    is more than 12″ in length.-   k) Alternate each subsequent row between using a full size sub-floor    system panel 30 and a cut sub-floor system panel ensuring that cut    panels are a minimum of 12 in. in length to start the row and the    seams of the row being installed do not align with the width seams    of the previous row. This will achieve the desired brick pattern as    illustrated in FIG. 5D.-   l) Installing tile over the sub-floor system requires the use of    poly-modified mortars and grouts. The sub-floor system should be    clear of any debris or accumulated dust. Use a damp cloth or mop to    remove any dust from the sub-floor system.-   m) Carpet tack strips should be adhered to the sub-floor system    using both the urethane adhesive used to install the sub-floor    system and the nails recommended by the tack strip manufacturer.    Apply the adhesive to the back of the tack strip and set in the    recommended position by the tack strip or carpet manufacturer. Use    the recommended nails to secure the tack strip permanently in place.-   n) Engineered woods and laminated click flooring can easily be    installed over the sub-floor system. It is recommended to use the    suggested foam pad recommended by the engineered wood or laminated    click flooring manufacturers to ensure the installation meets their    warranty requirements.-   o) Glued down natural hardwood floors can be installed over the    sub-floor system. Use only adhesives recommended by the hardwood    floor manufacturers. If nailed down hardwood is desired it may be    necessary to add an additional layer of plywood or oriented strand    board over the sub-floor system depending on the substrate over    which the sub-floor system has been installed.-   p) Vinyl plank floors and vinyl tile floors can be installed over    the sub-floor system. Install as per manufacturers suggested    installation method. It is not recommended to install thin sheet    vinyl over the sub-floor system, unless all seams have been filled    in with a filling compound and sanded smooth. Failure to fill the    seams and sand smooth will cause the seams to appear in the thin    sheet vinyl over time.

Any methods disclosed herein comprise one or more steps or actions forperforming the described method. The method steps and/or actions may beinterchanged with one another. In other words, unless a specific orderof steps or actions is required for proper operation of the embodiment,the order and/or use of specific steps and/or actions may be modified.

Reference throughout this specification to “an embodiment” or “theembodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristicdescribed in connection with that embodiment is included in at least oneembodiment. Thus, the quoted phrases, or variations thereof, as recitedthroughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to thesame embodiment.

Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the above description ofembodiments, various features are sometimes grouped together in a singleembodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose ofstreamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure, however, is notto be interpreted as reflecting an intention that any claim require morefeatures than those expressly recited in that claim. Rather, as thefollowing claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in a combination offewer than all features of any single foregoing disclosed embodiment.Thus, the claims following this Detailed Description are herebyexpressly incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claimstanding on its own as a separate embodiment. This disclosure includesall permutations of the independent claims with their dependent claims.

Recitation in the claims of the term “first” with respect to a featureor element does not necessarily imply the existence of a second oradditional such feature or element. Elements recited inmeans-plus-function format are intended to be construed in accordancewith 35 U.S.C. §112 Para. 6. It will be apparent to those having skillin the art that changes may be made to the details of theabove-described embodiments without departing from the underlyingprinciples of the technology.

While specific embodiments and applications of the present technologyhave been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that thetechnology is not limited to the precise configuration and componentsdisclosed herein. Various modifications, changes, and variations whichwill be apparent to those skilled in the art may be made in thearrangement, operation, and details of the methods and systems of thepresent technology disclosed herein without departing from the spiritand scope of the technology.

What is claimed is:
 1. A sub-floor system, comprising: a surface panelhaving a top side and a bottom side opposite the top side; and a basepanel having a top side and a bottom side opposite the top side; whereinthe top side of the base panel is coupled to the bottom side of thesurface panel, wherein the bottom side of the base panel comprises anarrangement of support pads separated by vent channels, wherein eachvent channel encounters at least one three-way intersection with othervent channels.
 2. The sub-floor system of claim 1, wherein the surfacepanel comprises a material selected from the group consisting of wood,plastic, rubber, magnesium oxide, magnesium phosphate, and combinationsthereof.
 3. The sub-floor system of claim 1, wherein the base panelcomprises a material selected from the group consisting of new highdensity polyethylene plastic, recycled high density polyethyleneplastic, virgin rubber, recycled rubber, and combinations thereof. 4.The sub-floor system of claim 1, wherein the surface panel and the basepanel are the same polygonal shape.
 5. The sub-floor system of claim 1,wherein the support pads are arranged in a herringbone pattern.
 6. Thesub-floor system of claim 1, wherein the combined area of the supportpads is greater than or equal to 50% of the total area of the bottomside of the base panel.
 7. The sub-floor system of claim 1, whereinevery path along the vent channels includes at least one bend per adistance increment, wherein the distance increment is less than or equalto 4.25 in.
 8. A sub-floor system, comprising: a surface panel having atop side and a bottom side opposite the top side; and a base panelhaving a top side and a bottom side opposite the top side; wherein thetop side of the base panel is coupled to the bottom side of the surfacepanel, wherein the bottom side of the base panel comprises anarrangement of support pads separated by vent channels, wherein straightline travel along each vent channel is blocked by at least one supportpad.
 9. The sub-floor system of claim 8, wherein the surface panelcomprises a material selected from the group consisting of wood,plastic, rubber, magnesium oxide, magnesium phosphate, and combinationsthereof.
 10. The sub-floor system of claim 8, wherein the base panelcomprises a material selected from the group consisting of new highdensity polyethylene plastic, recycled high density polyethyleneplastic, virgin rubber, recycled rubber, and combinations thereof. 11.The sub-floor system of claim 8, wherein the surface panel and the basepanel are the same polygonal shape.
 12. The sub-floor system of claim 8,wherein the support pads are arranged in a herringbone pattern.
 13. Thesub-floor system of claim 8, wherein the combined area of the supportpads is greater than or equal to 50% of the total area of the bottomside of the base panel.
 14. The sub-floor system of claim 8, whereinstraight line travel along each vent channel is blocked by at least onesupport pad per a distance increment, wherein the distance increment isless than or equal to 4.25 in.
 15. A method of manufacturing a panelassembly of a sub-floor system, comprising: positioning a surface panelrelative to a base panel so that: the surface panel overhangs the basepanel along a first edge of the surface panel to form a first overlapjoint, the surface panel overhangs the base panel along a second edge ofthe surface panel to form a second overlap joint, and the base paneloverhangs the surface panel along a third edge of the surface panel toform a first shiplap joint, wherein the first edge of the surface panelis adjacent to the second edge of the surface panel, wherein the thirdedge of the surface panel is adjacent to an edge of the surface panelselected from the group consisting of the first edge of the surfacepanel and the second edge of the surface panel; and coupling the surfacepanel to the base panel to permanently maintain the first overlap joint,the second overlap joint, and the first shiplap joint; wherein thebottom side of the base panel comprises an arrangement of support padsseparated by vent channels, wherein straight line travel along each ventchannel is blocked by at least one support pad.
 16. The method of claim15, wherein the base panel overhangs the surface panel along a fourthedge of the surface panel to form a second shiplap joint, wherein thefourth edge of the surface panel is adjacent to the third edge of thesurface panel.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the surface paneloverhangs the base panel along the first edge of the surface panel, thesurface panel overhangs the base panel along a second edge of thesurface panel, and the base panel overhangs the surface panel along athird edge of the surface panel by a distance which is greater than orequal to 0.75 in.
 18. The method of claim 15, comprising fabricating thesurface panel from a material selected from the group consisting ofwood, plastic, rubber, magnesium oxide, magnesium phosphate, andcombinations thereof.
 19. The method of claim 15, comprising fabricatingthe base panel from a material selected from the group consisting of newhigh density polyethylene plastic, recycled high density polyethyleneplastic, virgin rubber, recycled rubber, and combinations thereof. 20.The method of claim 15, comprising fabricating the base panel by aprocess selected from the group consisting of molding, extruding, andmachining.